Parliamentary Speaker Thura Shwe Mann discussed Myanmar’s top national issues with German President Joachim Gauck at their official meeting yesterday in the nation’s capital.
They discussed national issues such as constitutional amendments, the Rakhine conflict, and foreign debt when Shwe Mann formally received Gauck at the parliament buildings in the capital, according to MP Sai Thiha Kyaw, who attended the meeting.

“They talked about a process under way for the constitutional amendment by two related committees, and about how they are working on it, and about how to handle the issue of the military role in the parliament. He [the German president] also asked about the Rakhine issue. These were the matters they discussed. And they also talked about the possible write-off of 50 percent of Myanmar’s debt to Germany,” said Sai Thiha Kyaw.

The Parliamentary Speaker also mentioned the creation of a federal constitution through constitutional amendment as a national issue, said MP Khin Saw Wai, who also participated in the meeting.

“He replied to the German president that it’s up to the people’s desire to decide whether or not military representatives should take parliamentary seats, adding that it’s difficult to say exactly how many of them should take seats. And he said it’s up to the will of all MPs to amend the constitution,” added Sai Thiha Kyaw.